Pipe construction



June 25, 1940. R 5 BLAIR 2,205,553

PIPE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 27. 1939 Patented June 25, 194i) i i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE CONSTRUCTION Robert S. Blair, Stamford, Conn.

Application February 27, 1939, Serial No. 258,759

8 Claims. (01.'131-225) This invention relates to pipe construction. pipe construction consists of a bowl, preferably One of the objects of this invention is totproof the ordinary size to be carried in the pocket,

vide asimple, inexpensive and practical pipe congenel'ally indicated et l0. having e Stem, genstruction which will be well adapted to meet the erally indicated at il. Secured thereto. The Stem 5 varying conditions of use. Another object is to preferably comprises a mouthpiece, generally inprovide a pipe construction of the above chardicated at I3, secured to a section of flexible acter which will be neat and attractive in appeartubing, generally indicated at l2. The tubing ance and yet be of such sturdy construction as to is in turn secured to a nipple, generally indicated withstand hard usage. Another object is to proat I4, which is secured to the neck I5 of the pipe l0 vide a pipe construction of the above character bowl. It might here be pointed out that the pipe lo which will be inexpensive to manufacture and bowl and its neck may be made in any desired easily assembled. Another object is to provide a shape and that the stem construction to be herepipe construction of the above. character which inafter described is adaptable to any type of bowl. will be eiiicient and reliable in operation. An- Referring now to Figure 2, neck I5 of bowl I0 [s other object is to provide a pipe construction of has,a tapered hole I6 formed therein, the inner 15 the above character which will form a compact end of'which connects to vent I1 leading through object readily carried in the pocket and yet the neck to the bottom of bowl I0. Nipple I4 adapted for eiiicient use in form to suit the user. (Figures 2 and 3) has a tapered portion I8 which Other objects will be in part obvious and in part is adapted to form a wedge fit in tapered hole I6 o pointed out hereinafter, securing the nipple to the bowl of the pipe. A 20 The invention accordingly consists in the feahole I9 extends through .the center of nipple Il tures of construction, combinations of elements, and registers with vent Il when the nipple is atand arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified tached to the bowl. The center portion 2li of the in the structure to be hereinafter described and nipple preferably has the same diameter as the the scope of the application which will be indineck of bowl III separating the tapered portion of 25 cated in the following claims. the nipple from a circular recess 2l formed on In the accompanying drawing in which is the other end of the nipple. l shown one of the various possible embodiments of Mouthpiece I3 may be of any desired shape my inventionand is shown as comprising a body portion 22 Figure 1 is a side elevation of my pipe construcwhich has an outer end 23 shaped to form a grip- 30 tion; ping surface for the teeth of the user. The inner Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the end of the mouthpiece has a circular recess pipe shown in Figure 1; and formed thereon preferably of the same depth and Figure 3 is an exploded view of the parts formlength as the recess formed on nipple I4. Hole 25 ing the stem of the pipe shownin Figure 1. which extends through the mouthpiece is prefa5 Similar reference characters refer to similar erably enlarged at the inner end, as shown in parts throughout the several views of the draw- 'Figures 2 and 3, the purpose of which will be ing. pointed out more fully hereinafter.

In order that the various novel features of my Mouthpiece I3 and nipple I4 are connected by a o invention may be more readily understood, it piece of flexible tubing I2 to form the stem of the might be here pointed out that the average pipe pipe as best shown in Figures 2 and 3. This 40 is not an object which may be readily carried in tubing is preferably made of a metal strip spirally the pocket of the usen The reason for this is twisted and formed so that each layer laps over that the distance between the end of the stem the preceding and under the following layers and the bowl is too great for the average pocket (Figure 2). These layers have a strong frictional 45 with the result that no matter how the pipe is grip on each other so that while permitting ythe carried it is awkward. Furthermore it is well tube to be bent they retain their-hold on each known that pipe smokers like variety in the other to preserve any shape into which the tube shapes of the stems of their pipes. This necessimight be bent. I do not wish to be limited to this tates changing from one pipe to another and is type of tubing as arplurality of different types of o also costly in that many pipes must be purchased. tubing have this characteristic and thus the It is accordingly another object of this inventubing used can be of any type which has no tion to provide a pipe construction which effecleakage through the joints and which will retively overcomes the above-mentioned difiiculties. tain the various shapes into which it is bent.

55 Referring now to the drawing in detail, the The diameters of recessed portions 2l and 24 on nipple I4 and ymouthpiece I3 respectively are slightly greater than the inner diameter of tubing I2. Thus when the recessed portions are forced in the ends of tubing I2, the nipple and the mouthpiece are securely connected by the tubing with a frictional grip. It is to be understood that the tubing, nipple, and mouthpiece may be connected together in a plurality of different ways and that the construction is not intended to be limited to the type of connection shown and described.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, a condenser is shown which is adapted to fit within tubing I2. This condenser preferably comprises a resillent twisted wire center having a multitude of bristles 2B extending radially therefrom. The outer diameter of these bristles is preferably greater than the inner diameter of tubing I2 so that when the condenser is inserted in the tubing it forms a maze through which the smoke passes and which eliminates undesirable foreign material therefrom. It may be noted that the twisted wires 28 extend beyond the brush at one end 29. When the pipe construction is assembled, this portion extends into the enlarged hole 26 in the mouthpiece I3. Thus when the mouthpiece is removed to clean the pipe, the condenser may be easily removed from the tubing by means of the extended portion of the twisted wires 28. Thus a pipe has been described the stem of which may be folded as is generally shown at Sil in Figure 1. When the stern is thus folded, the pipe may be easily carried in the users pocket as its length has been halved by bending and the length of a pipe is the feature which makes it an awkward object to carry. Furthermore the user of this pipe may bend it into any desired shape and thus may change from a straight to a curved pipe without having the bother of getting another pipe. 'Ihe condenser shown is well adapted to this type of pipe because of its rw silience which adapts the twisted wires to follow the ams of the vent as the shape of the tubing is changed. It will now become clear that I have provided a thoroughly practical and durable pipe construction in which the several objects hereinabove mentioned, as well as many others, are accomplished.

It is to be understood that the term resilient is used throughout with reference to the vcondenser as denoting that quality in such substantial degree that the member to which it is applied of a length substantially less than the normal length of a pipe may have its ends swung rela? tively throughout an angle substantially in excess of and yet spring back into its initial position upon being released. As a matter of fact, the bend indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing is greatly in excess of that called for by the above definition.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many'changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters hereinabove set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In pipe construction, in combination, a bowl, a mouthpiece and, a flexible tube interposed between the bowl and the mouthpiece, said tube being so constructed and of such material that it is bendable into and will retain a curved form at substantially any point intermediate its ends whereby the mouthpiece, while connected to the tube and while the tube is connected to the bowl, will be capable oi' assuming and maintaining a position at substantially any angle relative to the bowl or in any direction.

2. In pipe construction in combination, a bowl, a section of continuous flexible tubing adapted to be bent between lts ends and to retain any shape into which it is bent attached to said bowl, and a mouthpiece secured to the other end of said tubing.

3. In pipe construction in combination, a bowl;

a neck formed on said bowl, a flexible tube secured to said neck having formed therein substantially throughout its length overlapping airtight joints adapted to permit said tube to be curved and to retain such curved form and a member secured to the other end of said tube adapted to serve as a mouthpiece.

4. In pipe construction in combination, a bowl, a stem secured to said bowl, and a flexible tube made of spirally wound sheet metal having overlapping joints forming a. part of said stem, permitting said stem to be bent into and maintain a variety of different shapes.

5. In pipe construction, in combination, a pipe bowl, a mouthpiece, and means interposed between and connecting said bowl with said mouthpiece and comprising a flexible tube having its walls formed of a spiral member the successive turns of which overlap and form a movable joint with respect to the next turn, whereby said tube may be bent into many desired shapes and tend to retain the form into which it is bent.

6. In pipe construction, in combination, a pipe bowl, a mouthpiece, each having a passage therethrough, means interposed between said bowl and mouthpiece comprising a flexible tubular member having an internal diameter greater than that of said first passages, and a brush condenser interposed in said flexible member and comprising a resilient supporting member. whereby said supporting member tends to follow and coincide with the axis of the tube as the tube is bent throughout an angle greater than 90 and returned to normal position.

7. In pipe construction, in combination, a bowl, a mouthpiece, means connecting said bowl with said mouthpiece and comprising a flexible tube formed and adapted to be curved at substantially any point in its length and to maintain the position into which it is curved, and a condensing device positioned within said flexible tube and adapted to conform to the tube as it is bent throughout an angle greater than 90 withf out material alteration of itsl relation to the inner walls of the tube.

8. In pipe construction, in combination, a bowl, a mouthpiece, means connecting said bowl with said mouthpiece and comprising a flexible tube formed and adapted to be curved at substantially any point in its length and to maintain the position into which it is curved, and a condensing device positioned within said ilexible tube and adapted to conform to the tube as it is bent throughout an angle greater than 90" without material alteration of its relation to the inner walls of the tube, said condensing member comprising a resilient supporting element with bristles mounted thereon.

ROBERT S. BLAIR. 

